NFHS Rules Changes 2009 (Sort of)

[Tim C]

Mr. Umpire:

1. Eliminate the practice of umpires inspecting helmets and bats. The coach should be responsible for the condition of his equipment.

The NFHS tabled the request to not inspect bats and caps, made officially by Oregon, because it caught the committee by surprise.

By "surprise" the real issue is that the change would have to be accepted by the NFHS insurance carrier. This review takes time.

The NFHS base insurance carrier is a different company than the company that backs the NCAA plan.

This part of the process was expected and that is why the issue was tabled and not voted down.

2. Eliminate the courtesy runner, if not completely, at least for the pitcher.

Two separate points here:

1) The second most importnat philosophy (behind safety) is to increase participation of students.

That being said:

2) The courtesy runner is by state adoption ONLY. Convince your state to not use the rule and you are home free. (Oregon does not use the CR rule and next season all schools will be reminded of that).

3. Replace Fed pitching regulations with the OBR pitching regulatrions, verbatim.

I ask you to remember that 94% of all rules are brought to committee by coaches. If coaches were in favor of this change I would expect to see changes. Also, the NFHS thinks that their rules should be intrinsically different from OBR as they are trying to accomplish something vastly different from teams that play OBR.

4. Replace the FED FPSR with NCAA's FPSR

Again we tried but the change was tabled as it must be approved by the NFHS administration and insurance carrier. This issue is not dead.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

Where have you been for the last ten years? Appeals, obstruction, pitching, FPSR have all seen changes.

But there are rules that still need some attention:

1. Eliminate the practice of umpires inspecting helmets and bats. The coach should be responsible for the condition of his equipment.

2. Eliminate the courtesy runner, if not completely, at least for the pitcher.

3. Replace Fed pitching regulations with the OBR pitching regulatrions, verbatim.

4. Replace the FED FPSR with NCAA's FPSR

5. Replace the FED obstruction rule with NCAA's obstruction rule.

[FTVMartin]

In MI we are now switching to a every other year distribution of rule books. We will get them next year but not again until 2011.

[BigUmp56]

Tim,

Was there any discussion on clearing up what some to feel the ambiguity in the obstruction rule?


Tim.

[David B]

Originally Posted by Tim C

Mr. Umpire:


Two separate points here:

1) The second most importnat philosophy (behind safety) is to increase participation of students.

That being said:

2) The courtesy runner is by state adoption ONLY. Convince your state to not use the rule and you are home free. (Oregon does not use the CR rule and next season all schools will be reminded of that).

That all makes sense. We've had CR for as long as I remember and it does allow more kids to be able to participate.

Didn't know there was a problem with it. It's easy, doesn't distract at all from the game IMO, but that's in our area.

Might be different somewhere else.

Thanks
David

[David B]

Originally Posted by BigUmp56

Tim,

Was there any discussion on clearing up what some to feel the ambiguity in the obstruction rule?


Tim.

That's the main thing I thought they might address.

Must not have caused much problems since as Tee noted, the coaches are the catalyst behind any changes etc,.

Thansk
David

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by David B

That all makes sense. We've had CR for as long as I remember and it does allow more kids to be able to participate.

Didn't know there was a problem with it. It's easy, doesn't distract at all from the game IMO, but that's in our area.

Might be different somewhere else.

Thanks
David

The courtesy runner rule was never, according to Indianapolis, intended to be a "participation" rule. It is supposed to be a speed-up rule. In my opinion it does not speed anything up. It's a pain in the A$$ rule.

[David B]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

The courtesy runner rule was never, according to Indianapolis, intended to be a "participation" rule. It is supposed to be a speed-up rule. In my opinion it does not speed anything up. It's a pain in the A$$ rule.

No matter what it was intended, it works now as a participation rule. And I don't see how its a pain as you speak? BR walks, as soon as he reaches first I have CR coming out, they change the game continues.

So just wonderin how it's a pain?

But I do agree, it doesn't speed up the game at all, just works to the benefit of the team with a F2 who can't run.

Thanks
David

[MrUmpire]

Originally Posted by David B

No matter what it was intended, it works now as a participation rule. And I don't see how its a pain as you speak? BR walks, as soon as he reaches first I have CR coming out, they change the game continues.

So just wonderin how it's a pain?

But I do agree, it doesn't speed up the game at all, just works to the benefit of the team with a F2 who can't run.

Thanks
David

In my experience it slows the game down as the coach requests time, decides who he is going to insert, player looks for helmet, runs out, catcher comes in and still doen't put on gear until the end of the inning.

Yeah, I know, stay on top of it. In some case that only serves to piss off the coach and does nothing in the long run for game management.

It is a stupid rule. Running, along with hitting, fielding, pitching, is part of the game. If they won't eliminate it, they should change its name to the "Our catcher is too freaking fat and slow to run" rule.

As far as participation, if a coach considers CR as satisfying participation for a player, he should be ashamed of himself.

[Tim C]

Mr. Umpire you win.

This is certainly the last time I will make an effort to answer anything you post.

Bye

[David B]

Originally Posted by MrUmpire

In my experience it slows the game down as the coach requests time, decides who he is going to insert, player looks for helmet, runs out, catcher comes in and still doen't put on gear until the end of the inning.

Yeah, I know, stay on top of it. In some case that only serves to piss off the coach and does nothing in the long run for game management.

It is a stupid rule. Running, along with hitting, fielding, pitching, is part of the game. If they won't eliminate it, they should change its name to the "Our catcher is too freaking fat and slow to run" rule.

As far as participation, if a coach considers CR as satisfying participation for a player, he should be ashamed of himself.

MrUmpire, the ball you and I work must be completely different.

All of our HS teams know the rule and it works very smoothly. We cover in pregame - coach have your CR ready.

If he's not ready, we don't have a CR and the game continues. If or when the gets him ready, then we make the switch.

Also, we never have a problem with F2 getting stuff on. But I know from calling, that happens when it has been allowed by the umpires.

I'm not going to waste anymore time on this because obviously we are comparing apples and oranges.

Good luck

thansk
David

[jkumpire]

With little Respect,

I have done about 800-1000 Baseball games in the last 10 years. Where have you been, calling Softball?

FYI: Appeals, the change was to have umpires call runners out w/o a defensive appeal, now it is changed. Is this a fundamental change to the game? Did it bring a new set of rules to the game? One, maybe, the dead ball appeal. That's a HUGE change .

Obstruction: Are you serious? Please reread the interp./rule change this year and tell me how obstruction has changed? How many more new OBS calls did you make this year over last year? I made one in 44 FED games.

Pitching: What has changed that has made a huge difference in the game? FED has nibbled at the edges, but if the biggest changes are when you can turn your shoulders towards 1B, and making sure the gorilla arm is illegal, then I fail to see the big change.

FPSR: The FPSR is 10 years old. It has not really been changed since that time. That was my point.

If you compare FED Baseball with Football, Wrestling, Basketball, and even Softball, you cannot escape the conclusion that the Baseball Rules are much more stable than the other rules sets in the past 10 years.

Pete,

One or two rule changes every year sometimes happen, though not for 2009. But the rule changes have not been very significant, or have greatly affected the play of the game. At least that is my opinion. I wish I had my 1981-2005 rule books still, so I could run through it and show you the changes that have taken place, and how many fewer we have seen in recent years.

[ozzy6900]

The Courtesy Runner is not allowed by the Connecticut State Board for HS games so we have no issues with the rule. I have, however, officiated games in the Summer where the courtesy runner was used and I see no problem with it at all. I have not run into the "timeless, waiting" problems that others have stated.

[TxUmp]

Originally Posted by umpduck11

Not here, since we receive a rule book and case book with our State registration fee.

And NFHS gives them to your state association? Are you really so naive that you think the cost of the rule books is not passed on to you through your dues?

[mbyron]

Sounds like the state is planning to pocket the extra cash in the off years.